Sign of Attraction
by headoverhook
Summary: Some day she was going to find a way to kill him without leaving a trace. Hopefully it would happen before he drove her insane. Neighbors AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Yep, it's been done about at least a hundred times. But someone asked me if I could write my take on this well used trope, and I just read the **_Neighbors from Hell_** series by R.L. Mathewson (it's awesome), so I couldn't resist. **

**I hope you enjoy. I had definitely a lot of fun writing this first chapter.**

**Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me, just this story!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

She would kill him. She would just kill him.

She could find a way to get rid of his body later. Now she just needed to find the best way to make him suffer as much as possible.

"You're thinking about killing your neighbor again?"

Emma looked up and reached for the cocktail glass, taking a huge sip before she addressed her best friend.

"I swear to God, if I knew of a way to commit the perfect crime without getting caught I would do it."

"You know there is no such thing as the perfect crime," Mary Margaret told her, leaning back against the couch.

"I know," Emma sighed, slumping down on the couch beside her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

"You sound disappointed."

"I'm sure no one would really blame me if I'd rid the earth of this demon spawn."

"Demon spawn?" Ruby chuckled, looking up from painting her nails. "That's a new one. What did he do now?"

"He stole my newspaper again, after playing guitar until the wee hours of the morning." Emma would never admit that she actually loved hearing him play ... as long as it wasn't at three o'clock in the morning. "And then he had the audacity to park his car in front of mine. Again!"

"You didn't get him to move his car?" Mary Margaret asked with clear sympathy in her voice.

"Of course not," Emma huffed. "I swear he enjoys messing around with me. I mean ... he can't be that dumb to not realize that I can't get out of my parking spot when he parks directly in front of my rear bumper."

"Well, he is insanely hot," Ruby tossed in, furrowing her brows as she applied another coat of paint on her toes. "So there is that."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You can always use him as a sex toy," Ruby elaborated, a huge grin spreading out on her face as she added, "Way better than your BOF if he knows what he is doing. And he looks like he knows."

"No, thank you," Emma hissed. "I wouldn't touch him if he was the last man on earth, and my vibrator had run out of batteries."

"It's a shame," Ruby sighed, "I bet he is huge."

"Oh my God," Emma growled, burying her face in Mary Margaret's shoulder. "A little help here."

"I don't know what you are talking about," Mary Margaret said. "I'm a married woman."

"Not yet."

"Anyways, I don't need any mechanical toys. David keeps me well satisfied without using one, but if we feel the need to venture into ..."

"Stop right there," Emma cried, not wanting to know anything about her brother's sex life. "This is definitely too much information."

"Maybe Ruby is right," Mary Margaret mused, cocking her head to the side. "He is extremely handsome after all."

"I thought you're well satisfied."

"Doesn't mean I'm blind," Mary Margaret shot back, taking a sip from her cocktail before she added, "I'm sure he doesn't need any toys in bed either to satisfy a woman."

"You're supposed to back me up here," Emma whined. "Instead you're telling me I should bang my neighbor from hell."

"You know, hate sex has its perks," Ruby said with a dreamy expression on her face.

"Teasing is a sign of affection, isn't it?"

"That's it. You're not my friends anymore. There is the door."

Ruby and Mary Margaret just rolled their eyes at each other and sipped at their cocktails, not showing the slightest inclinations that they would go anywhere anytime soon.

"At least someone needs to make me another cocktail," Emma grumbled, slurping the rest of her cocktail through the straw.

"How about you are asking your neighbor from hell if he can mix you something hot and juicy?"

"You need to get laid," Emma huffed. "Maybe _you_ should bang him."

"Na, he is all yours." Ruby replied, and Emma turned her head towards Mary Margaret.

"Why are you looking at me?" Mary Margaret questioned with a raised eyebrow. "I'm happily almost married."

"We need to change the subject here. Immediately," Emma said and grabbed the remote. "Let's see what's on Netflix."

-/-

Enough was enough.

She had only slept two hours and it was her neighbor's fault, as usual. She had ignored the voice telling her that it wasn't her neighbor's fault when she had an insanely hot erotic dream about him that let her wake up with trembling limps and a racing heart, making it impossible for her to close her eyes again and go back to sleep.

She had gotten up as the alarm blared, bone-tired, every muscle in her body aching. The shower hadn't helped waking her up at all, her hair hadn't cooperated, and she had almost pierced her eye while applying mascara.

She had spent half an hour searching for her keys just to find them at the bottom of her bag, her coffee had become cold by the time she remembered it, and she had resigned herself to make a quick stop at Starbucks, because she couldn't function without her morning coffee, and then this.

His car was blocking hers again.

She swirled around and stomped back into the house, surprised that there was no steam coming out of her ears because she was burning with fury.

"Killian Jones, open that damn door!" She hammered her fist against the wood, yelling even louder, "Now!"

She heard movement from inside his apartment and prepared herself for dragging him to his car if she needed to, after she had ripped his head off. But the words died on her tongue as he opened the door with only a towel wrapped around his waist, droplets of water still clinging to his chest and his hair a rumbled mess.

_Jesus Fucking Christ!_

"Swan? To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She was quite certain that he put on the lilt extra hard for her. She had heard him talking to others, and his accent was never that thick. God, it was as if he knew how much his English accent affected her, and combined with these blue eyes, the chiseled jaw and this body ... and no ... she was not thinking about threading her fingers through his messy hair, and she was not thinking about how she just wanted to follow the trail of hair down his stomach with her lips, and she was not thinking about yanking the towel away and finding out if he was as packed as she feared he was.

"Like what you see?"

_Jerk_, she thought, trying desperately to shove the want into the deepest corner of her brain, hoping her body would stop aching for him if she could just stop thinking about how his scruff might feel scratching along her thighs.

"You know, you can always come in and we can indulge in some more enjoyable activities of the horizontal variety," he drawled, throwing her a cheeky grin. "My walls are also very sturdy. Wouldn't mind pressing you against one and make you scream my name, love."

She would kill him. She would just kill him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites and alerts.**

**This is going to be a shorter story. About ten chapters. Give or take. At least that's the rough plan for now. And there won't be much angst in it. I'm just having a little fun with these two. :-)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

He couldn't help but grin when he heard her pounding against his door. His little neighbor was so much fun when she was angry. At the beginning the things he did that made her go ballistic weren't even deliberate. Sometimes he was so far gone in the fantasy world of one of his books that he didn't really pay attention to his surroundings. People who knew him always only rolled their eyes when he did something annoying because nine out of ten times he didn't know what he was doing. But of course Emma Swan didn't know him. Though he'd like to change that.

It had taken him a few times of her yelling at him until he realized that he was mesmerized by the fury that always blazed out of her eyes. Eyes that were a shade of green that changed to almost silver when she was angry. Her whole body was rigid when she lectured him, her cheeks red with anger, and he couldn't deny that seeing her like this kind of turned him on. Not to mention her body. He would definitely not mind to peel her out of her clothes and discover every inch of her.

"Swan? To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Yes, he admitted it. He put on the lilt extra hard for her. Because it never failed to bring this certain light into her eyes. He cherished these few seconds when he could see that his accent affected her, before she let the anger take over again and her eyes spurted fire.

God, she was gorgeous like that.

He leaned against the doorframe, well aware that her eyes flickered briefly over his body before they snapped up to his face again, the blush in her cheeks deepening, and he crossed his ankles, trying to hide the fact that the towel started to rise.

"Like what you see?"

He cocked his head to the side, watching her, biting his cheek to keep from laughing as he saw a flicker of hunger flash over her eyes before she straightened herself. But before she could say anything he pointed a finger over his back, deciding to go all in and shock her a little bit.

"You know, you can always come in and we can indulge in some more enjoyable activities of the horizontal variety," he drawled, enjoying this teasing game way too much. "My walls are also very sturdy. Wouldn't mind pressing you against one and make you scream my name, love."

Her eyes turned ice cold, and for a second he believed he finally pushed her too far and she would punch him. But she only balled her hands into fists beside her body, and her voice turned even sharper.

"Mr. Jones, would you please move your car? I need to get to work."

"I told you Swan, you should call me Killian."

Her jaw flexed as she gritted her teeth, clearly struggling to keep her temper in check, and he couldn't help imagining how that temper might come in handy in the bedroom.

"I just need you to move your car."

"Well, I can't go out like that, can I?" he replied nonchalantly, his hand going to the end of the towel that he'd tugged in, pushing the whole towel an inch lower.

Her eyes followed his movement, and he saw her gulp visibly. It was supposed to taunt her, but it clearly backfired. The urge to pull her into his arms and just kiss her senseless was almost overwhelming.

"Never mind," she mumbled, swirling around and rushing towards the front door. "I'll just shove it away."

He was still fighting with the need that was rushing through his body, groaning softly as he tried to adjust the towel so that it wasn't too obvious that his cock was rock hard.

"Wow, easy there."

Killian looked up as he heard his brother's voice, seeing Emma storming out of the house, and knowing he was in no state to move his car himself, he addressed his brother.

"Hey bro, can you do me a favor?" Killian asked, reaching for his car keys and throwing them towards Liam. "Can you move my car for me before my little neighbor decides to wreck it to get out of her parking spot?"

Liam just shook his head, and strolled back out to park Killian's car in its designated parking spot.

"Bloody hell," he muttered under his breath as he walked back into the apartment, letting the door open for Liam.

He yanked the towel away, staring down at his cock with a raised eyebrow. If his brother wouldn't be here he'd definitely take matters into his own hand and relieved himself. But that was not an option right now.

He was forcing himself to think about something horrific and disgusting, and not about how her skin might feel under his fingers, as he put on some sweatpants and a shirt.

His mouth curled up into a smile as she remembered how annoyed she'd been with him. But it was not his fault when he'd just parked the car there yesterday and rushed into the house, eager to get a certain scene written down that had been swirling around in his head throughout his workout session. When he was in the middle of a book these things just happened.

He heard Liam come back and close the door behind him, noises coming from the kitchen as his brother turned on the full automatic coffee machine. Yeah, coffee. He definitely needed some coffee. It must have been the lack of sleep. He'd never reacted like that to a female ogling him.

He ran his fingers through his hair as he strolled into the kitchen, suppressing a yawn. He contemplated for a second if he should skip the coffee, since he needed to go to bed soon, but then Liam pushed a cup in his direction and the scent of the coffee hit his nostrils. Nope, he definitely needed his coffee.

"So ... when are you gonna admit that you fancy her?" Liam asked as he leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping at his coffee.

"Fancy her?" Killian took a sip of his own coffee, furrowing his brows. "Gosh, Liam. Don't talk like that please."

"Fine," Liam replied, shrugging one shoulder. "When are you gonna stop screwing with her, and start seducing her?"

"I'm not screwing with her."

"Come on, brother. I know you want her. You practically devour her with your eyes every time you see her."

"Maybe I just love to rile her up?"

"Teasing is a sign of affection."

"No affection there. It's just plain, old lust." Killian told him, shooting his brother a grin as he added. "See, I admitted it. I want to fuck her."

"Good luck with that, little brother. She hates you."

"Hate is too strong a word."

"Nope, Killian. She really hates you. Though ... hate sex can be quiet satisfying. Maybe you should rile her up until she hits you, and then you'll just go in for the kill."

Killian just rolled his eyes and walked over to his fridge, opening it in the hope that he would find something to eat in there.

"Why are you even here?" Killian asked, wondering if the milk was still good. "You know I normally sleep at this hour."

"You wrote me a message at four o'clock in the morning, asking me if Jared would prefer onions on his burger or not. I knew you'd pull another all-nighter.

"Aye, right. Completely forgot about that." Killian replied, sniffing at the milk. Definitely not drinkable anymore. He sighed and turned around, dreading already the trip to the grocery store. "So ... what do you think? Onions or not?"

"With onions," Liam replied. "You do know that I can't wait until you're giving me the first chapter to read over."

"I know, I know. But artists can't be rushed."

"But maybe bribed?"

Killian felt his mouth water as Liam reached into his backpack, and pulled out a covered dish.

"What have you got there?"

"Leftovers from our dinner yesterday. Elsa made Lasagna."

"Oh my God, I love you."

Killian grabbed the dish out of Liam's hand and pushed it into the microwave.

"This is just gross. You know that, right?"

"Technically it isn't breakfast for me but a late night snack. I haven't slept yet."

"Then get some sleep until tonight."

"What happens tonight?"

"I think I need to start putting sticky notes to your fridge again."

"What did I forget this time?"

"Elsa's Halloween party," Liam said. "It's tonight."

"Do I really have to go?" Killian whined.

"Emma might be there," Liam told him, grinning broadly when he saw he had Killian's full attention.

"How so?"

"You know Anna is working with Ruby and Elsa wanted it to be a big party. Ruby is invited, and she can take two people with her. So … isn't she your neighbor's best friend?"

That definitely changed things. Especially when he thought about the costume he still had in the back of his closet. He hadn't worn it in years. He just needed to find his voice changer. And he needed to buy some colored contact lenses.

"Okay. I'll come."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

When she told Ruby two weeks ago she would go with her, she definitely didn't make the connection. She completely forgot that Elsa wasn't only Ruby's colleague but also the wife of one Liam Jones, the brother of the demon spawn who lived next door to her.

She should have found a way to get out of it. But that would have meant she needed to endure a pissed off Ruby for at least three days, and it probably would have ended in her doing something she despised to make it up to her. Despite not wanting to enrage her best friend, she was in desperate need of a good party. Good music, good food, good drinks. And the demon spawn would not take that away from her.

But fortunately it didn't look as if Killian was here, and the longer the evening lasted the more she relaxed. Sipping at her third cocktail, she actually started to enjoy herself by surveying the crowd, looking if someone in particular interested her.

She had seen him earlier. The one in the Batman costume. She had seen his eyes flicker over her body more than once, his gaze searching hers. But she'd refused to make eye contact. Until now.

Leaning back against the wall, she pulled the straw between her lips and decided it was time for some flirting after all. She was in the mood, he looked hot and she needed to get laid. He was definitely worth a try. And maybe she would turn the tables today. Since she was dressed as a pirate, she might as well act like one and find herself a male bar wench to ravish.

Her target looked up and met her eyes, his teeth flashing white as he shot her a grin. Yep, she was definitely going to ravish that one.

She pushed herself away from the wall and sauntered towards the patio doors, throwing a look over her shoulder to make sure he understood the silent invitation, and her mouth curled up into a smile as she saw him wandering towards her through the crowd.

She felt the first butterflies of anticipation swirling in her stomach, and she stepped out of the room into the crisp night air, the cool air soothing her suddenly hot skin. She wandered to the edge of the terrace, away from the smokers who were standing close to the door. Resting her hands on the hilt of her fake saber, she waited for him to show up.

She didn't have to wait long, she could swear she felt a shift in the air seconds before he brushed his fingers over her arm.

"Hey, beautiful."

She turned around, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes. Because seriously? A voice decoder?

Her eyes roamed over his body, and she raised one eyebrow as she scrutinized him. His costume was ridiculous, an exact replica of the Batman costume, with mask and plastic abs and all. But she couldn't stop wondering if there were matching real abs underneath the costume, a dull ache spreading through her as she let her eyes trail over the skintight pants he was wearing.

And then his eyes. A sparkling green. Clearly contact lenses. But something about them was just ... God, she really needed to get laid. Maybe it was a good idea to just have a one-night stand with this insanely hot guy and scratch the itch.

"Hey, Batman," she replied, smirking up at him.

She actually shivered as he raised one hand and skimmed his fingers over her cheek, his eyes never leaving hers. Pressing one hand on the artificial abs, she let her tongue dart out to wet her lips, and he actually growled, making the ache between her legs almost too much to take.

But still he waited, searching her eyes, and hot flickers of lust burned through her, her heart tripping as he leaned forward. Her eyes fluttered closed but he didn't kiss her. Instead his fingers threaded through her hair and he tilted her head back, his lips ghosting along her jaw.

"You smell good," he rasped, flicking his tongue over the sensitive patch directly under her ear before he murmured, "Can I have your name?"

"Emma," she breathed, swaying involuntarily closer to him. "And yours?"

"Bruce Wayne."

"Ha, ha. Very funny."

"I can't give you my name," he said, his distorted voice shooting sparks through her veins, making it hard for her to stay upright. "No one can know who is under the mask, love."

She stiffened when she heard the endearment. She'd only heard one man using it before. The demon spawn.

But then he trailed his lips along her neck, down to her shoulder, his warm hands slipping around her waist and pulling her closer to him, and she couldn't think straight anymore.

"I want to devour you. I want to taste every inch of you."

_God, yes._

She wanted him to. She also wanted to return the favor. All her nerve endings were vibrating. The need to touch his skin was driving her mad. This damn costume covered his whole body, only his lips were free. Not that she could complain, because he was really very good with them.

Nibbling and sucking at her skin, the heat of his hands burning through her shirt, and then he pulled her forward, a whimper escaping her as she felt his arousal pressing into her. If they wouldn't leave in the next minute she would jump him right here and there.

"Killian?"

She froze, feeling his hands tightening around her waist, his lips still pressed against her frantically beating pulse. One second ticked by, then two.

"Bloody hell!" he grumbled against her skin.

"No!" She pressed her eyes shut, cursing inwardly.

God damn it! Why couldn't he be someone else? She had wanted him. Needed him. And now ... now she was still standing pressed flush against him, his breath still brushing over her skin and making her tingle in places her body wasn't allowed to tingle when it came to him.

"Jesus!" she cried, pushing herself away from him.

"Oh, is she gonna punch you now?" Liam asked with a huge grin on his face, clearly enjoying what he had caused.

"I'm gonna kill you, Liam," Killian growled, ripping the mask of his head.

His hair was plastered to his head, and he shouldn't look this insanely hot with sweaty hair, but he did. Shit, she still wanted him.

_No, no, no, no, no!_

"Swan, I ..." Killian lifted his hand and pressed his fingers against his throat, apparently deactivating the voice decoder because his next words were spoken in his natural voice. "Emma, I ..."

"Just don't say anything." She walked backwards, bringing some much needed space between them. "I can't ... just ... I better go."

-/-

It was two o'clock in the morning, and she couldn't sleep, rolling around from side to side. It was fucking insane. Every time she closed her eyes she heard his distorted voice again, felt his lips brushing over her skin, the sensation shooting goosebumps down her spine.

"Goddammit!" she hissed, punching her pillow and trying to find a position comfortable enough to finally get some sleep.

But it wasn't working.

She let out another expletive under her breath and jumped out of the bed, walking slowly into the kitchen to make herself a hot cup of cocoa. Maybe that would help.

As she poured the milk into the cup her mind wandered back to her neighbor, and the things he made her feel in these few minutes they'd been on the patio.

Why was it so hard to get him out of her mind? Maybe if she would just ...

_No_, her inner voice shouted at her.

"But maybe only for one night," she whispered, as if saying it out loud might make it sound better. It didn't work. "Couldn't I just play drunk, and go over there and seduce him? Just to get him out of my system?"

_This is the stupidest idea I've ever heard_, her inner voice announced and made her cringe.

Of course it was a stupid idea. She shouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole. She hated him. He was annoying. Arrogant. A prick.

And properly the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen in her life. And she wanted him.

Ignoring the voice in her head screaming at her, she pushed herself away from the counter and strolled determinedly to the door.

"You are so stupid," she murmured under her breath as she opened the door.

She froze with one foot in midair as her gaze fell on his door. It wasn't closed. It was open, and her neighbor was leaning against the door frame. Shirtless. The sweat pants riding low on his hips, and when her eyes met his, a surge of hot lust sizzled through her body.

God damn it, this was all his fault. Because of his stupid grin, and those gorgeous eyes, and this chiseled jaw, and these abs, and those biceps, and this look that made her feel as if she was standing completely naked in front of him. He was so not playing fair.

"I hate you, Killian Jones!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorite and follows. **

**And yes, this is where the fun begins. :-)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

He could still taste her on his lips, even hours later his whole body was still vibrating with the ache to be with her, and she was only a few steps away. Only across the hall.

A minute later he had opened the door and was staring at her door, contemplating if he should go over there and knock. Not that it would do him any good. She would probably rip his head off when he woke her up.

He was still staring at her door, thinking about his next move as her door suddenly opened and she stepped out, freezing in the doorway the moment her eyes fell on him. There was silence for a few seconds as a battle raged inside of him. God, he wanted to walk over to her and just rip the clothes off her body and take her against the next wall. But she apparently didn't want the same thing. Quite the opposite.

"I hate you, Killian Jones."

You would think that hearing these words would be like a bucket of ice water, but this was clearly not the case. In a blink of an eye he was rock hard for her as her eyes threw daggers at him.

He needed her really, really bad.

He didn't move. And neither did she. Her eyes were never leaving his, and hot lust was racing through his veins as he stared her down, not willing to be the first to move back into the apartment. If she wanted to end this she just needed to step back and close the door. He was definitely not able to move away.

One moment he was leaning against the doorframe and the next he was standing in the middle of the hallway, wrapping one arm around her waist and burying his hand in her hair, his mouth crashing down on hers and kissing her hungrily. He didn't even know how he got there, but she was here with him. Nothing else mattered.

A guttural growl rumbled out of his throat as her fingers traced down his back, her nails leaving a trail of fire in their wake. He'd never been so hard in his whole damn life, and if he couldn't bury himself inside of her until the hilt very soon he would explode.

He leaned down without letting go of her mouth, pulling her legs up until they were wrapped around his waist, stepping forward until her back hit the wall. Shifting closer, he pressed his erection against her core, and damn he could feel how scorching hot she was there. Only a few layers of clothes were separating them and he wished they would just vanish into nothingness so that he could feel her arousal coating his length.

His hands slid under her shirt, a moan slipping over his lips as he found her bare underneath. He shoved the fabric up impatiently, his knees almost buckling out from under him as he was greeted with the perfect breasts, her nipples practically jumping out on him. With a growl he bent his head, his hand kneading her breast as he sucked her nipple into his mouth.

They were in the middle of the hallway, someone could see them, but he was beyond caring, and clearly Emma didn't object either. Her back arched away from the wall as he pulled her nipple between his teeth, his fingers closing around her other nipple as he flicked his tongue against her tip. Over and over again, until she moaned his name and dug her nails so deep into his skin that he wouldn't be surprised if she'd left bloody scratches behind. Reluctantly he let go of her breasts and buried his face into her neck, brushing his lips over her skin.

"God, Emma. I need you."

He was panting as if he'd just finished a 100 meters sprint, his whole body screaming at him that he should just pull her pants down and fuck her already, but he forced himself to lean back, to meet her eyes. It was her decision.

For a moment he feared she would tell him to put her down and get the hell away from her. It felt like an eternity until her mouth tilted up into a lopsided grin and her hips rocked forward as she grinded against his erection.

"Then take me, Killian."

He almost dropped his pants then and there, the need to be inside her burning him alive. But somehow he managed to stumble into her apartment, the door falling closed behind them with a loud thud.

He only wrenched his lips off her mouth for the few seconds it took to pull her shirt over her head and shove her pants down her legs before he was kissing her again. Hungry, sloppy kisses. Without any finesse. Just pure need. Need for her.

"Condoms," he rasped. "God, Emma. Where are the fucking condoms?"

"Bedroom," she mumbled against his lips, rubbing her core over him while he was carrying her to the room she had pointed at, driving him completely mad. "Top drawer."

He was too impatient for much foreplay, and apparently she didn't need him to prepare her. Her hand wrapped around him and pumped him hard the moment he dropped his pants, and she only let go of him when he leaned over her and fumbled for the condoms.

Their first time was frantic. One push and he was balls deep in her, and then he was hammering into her, her hoarse voice spurning him on to take her deeper. To move faster. He'd just about managed to make her come first, because he was always a gentleman, before his own orgasm hit him with a ferocity that made him see stars.

Maybe he should have left after the first time, but he didn't. He slipped behind her after he'd discarded the condom, and pulled her against his chest, his hand closing around her breast and fondling her, playing with her nipple until she let out a soft moan and tilted her head back, her lips searching his for a searing kiss. His unoccupied hand slipped lower, down her stomach and between her legs, finding her already wet for him again. She whimpered, and he ghosted his fingers through her folds. He probably had fucked her sore, but he needed to have her one more time.

"Don't worry. It'll be gentle this time."

"Good," she murmured, arching into him as he slipped one finger into her.

He pleasured her with his fingers until he felt himself growing hard again, and a grin tucked at the corner of his mouth when she let out a disgruntled groan as he slipped his fingers out of her. Bringing his hand up to his mouth, he licked his fingers clean, aware of her heated gaze following his every movement. "You taste delicious, love."

He surprised him as he grabbed his hand and brought his fingers to her mouth, her lips closing around his forefinger, her tongue flicking against his skin as she sucked it into her mouth. She almost undid him when she let his finger slip back out of her mouth and licked her lips, throwing him a sultry gaze, her voice so thick with lust that his spine tingled.

"Yep, I do."

God, she was magnificent.

He reached for the condom and donned it as fast as he could, skimming his fingers over her ass and turning her until the tip of his cock brushed against her wet core. She flinched slightly as he slipped into her and he paused, letting her tender tissue adjust to his size.

"You okay?" he asked softly, sliding slowly out of her and back in.

"Yes."

"You sure?"

"I ... oh my God," she moaned, her fingers tightening around his arm as he found the spot deep inside of her again and he made sure to stroke over it with each deep thrust, bringing her closer and closer, feeling his balls tightening as he pulled her leg over his thigh and spread her open, hitting her even deeper. The new position made it possible for him to reach for her clit, and he rubbed the nub with his fingers in the same rhythm he pushed into her.

"Yes," she breathed, wrapping her arm around his neck, tilting her torso towards him and he couldn't resist to lean forward and suck her nipple into his mouth.

A groan rumbled out of her mouth as he suckled hard on the tip, his fingers and cock moving faster and faster until she tumbled over the edge with a loud scream, her walls clamping down on him provoking his own climax and he pressed his hand over her stomach, holding her close as he jerked against her until he was completely spent.

-/-

He never stayed. He always left after the sex was over. He didn't cuddle. Or slept over. But he'd been too tired to crawl out of bed and over to his own apartment, so he'd just pulled her into his arms afterwards and gone to sleep without giving it another thought.

He woke up before her, the room still dark. But the first signs of morning were already visible through the blinds, and he knew he should just slink out. But then he looked at her, her tousled hair splayed out over the pillow, the sheet revealing the slope of her breasts and he couldn't leave.

Sliding down under the sheet, he settled between her legs. He wanted to taste her again, wanted to feel her arousal coating his tongue and he leaned forward inhaling her scent for a moment before he flicked his tongue over her clit. He felt her move against his mouth, and he started to fuck her with his tongue while his fingers played with her clit until he heard a gasp and felt her stiffen under him before she relaxed. The moment her hands reached for his hair and her hips bucked up against his mouth he upped his game, ravishing her with his mouth and fingers, holding her down as she writhed against him.

"Oh my God," she moaned as he pushed her over the edge, her fingers tightening in his hair as he kept fucking her with his tongue, his thumb brushing lazily over her clit to prolong her climax and bringing her down slowly.

"Killian will do," he rasped, pulling the sheet away and crawling up her body, taking her legs with him.

Pressing her knees towards her chest with one arm, he reached for a condom with his free hand and ripped the foil open with his teeth. Leaning against her legs with his chest he reached down and slid the condom over his length, positioning himself at her entrance.

"God, you feel so good wrapped around me," he growled as he pushed inside of her.

"Killian?"

He opened his eyes slowly, looking down at her. Her green eyes were hooded, and he realized he'd completely lost track of time while he was eating her out and the first rays of sunshine were already trickling through the blinds, making it possible for him to watch her while he rocked his hips lazily back and forth.

"Aye?"

She licked her lips, her hands reaching for his arms, her fingers closing around his wrists. "I need you to move faster."

And of course he obeyed, his hips slamming against her ass as he pounded into her, the position letting him hit her even deeper than last night and it didn't take long until her walls flutter around him, and on another deep thrust he came, her walls milking him as he climaxed.

His heart was pounding in his ears as he leaned back slightly so that she could stretch out her legs before he slumped down on her, unable to move out of her just yet. Her hand was lying on his shoulder blade, her breath brushing over his sweat soaked hair, and he wished he didn't have to move at all.

Closing his eyes, he groaned inwardly. This was supposed to be a one time thing to get her out of his system. But he was nowhere near having her out of his system. He needed to figure out a way to keep having sex with her until he had enough of her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

This had been the most amazing night of her life and … it could never happen again.

Her heart was still hammering in her chest, the blood rushing in her ears, and as she shifted she felt her thigh muscles protest against the movement, not to mention other muscles that actually contracted around him again, making him groan against her neck.

This was insane. What did she do?

She pressed her eyes shut, hoping this would all turn out to be a dream. One hell of an awesome dream. But hopefully only a dream. Because she did not just spend the night with her neighbor from hell and slept three times with him. She did not just really do that.

Panic rose up in her chest, her breathing quickened and suddenly she needed him to move before he would suffocate her.

"Out! Just ..."

She shoved him away, not looking directly at him when he slipped out of her. She grasped the sheet and pulled it over her body to cover it the moment she felt the mattress shift when he got off the bed.

"Emma, I ..."

"Get out!" she gritted out through clenched teeth, turning around to face the wall, sudden embarrassment washing over her.

God, she'd actually let him lick her out. Not that she could have done much against it since he'd started before she was even awake, not that she would have had the willpower to not let him down there even if she'd been awake.

But no … she would not think about how amazing he'd been with his tongue, would ignore the burning of her body everywhere his scruff had abraded her skin, would ignore the tightening of her nipples under the sheet.

She could hear him move behind her, probably searching for his clothes. She let out a relieved sigh when he left her bedroom without saying anything else, and a few moments later the front door clicked shut behind him.

She rolled around, staring up at the ceiling. Why the hell did she walk out of her apartment last night? Why didn't she just step back into her apartment and went to bed? Why did she actually started to walk towards him and let herself be swept away like that?

He was a playboy. A prick. A man who had another woman every weekend. He was annoying and arrogant. She knew that type. Promised herself she would never ever fall for that again.

And she hadn't, had she? It was just a lapse of judgment. One weak moment. It was okay. Everything would go back to normal now. She got him out of her system, and that was that.

She forced herself to push the sheet away and swing her legs out of bed, a groan slipping over her lips as the movement made her realize how sore she actually was.

"Goddammit!" she hissed, closing her eyes but snapping them open again a second later when flashes of the last night flickered over her closed eyelids. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

She bit down on her tongue, hoping the pain would extinguish the images in her head, but it didn't work.

Her back hitting the wall. Her legs wrapped around his waist. His mouth closing around one nipple. Her hand wrapped around his thick arousal. The moment when he finally pushed into her, stretching her to her limits. The jerky movements of his hips against her. Her nails scratching down his back. His mouth between her legs. His tongue flicking over her clit. The need she felt for him.

"Shit," she growled, pressing her palms into her eye sockets, wondering how long it would take until the images would fade.

But he was living next door. Avoiding him would be extremely hard.

"What should I do?" she whispered, shaking her head vehemently as she realized she was drowning in self-pity. "Get your ass up, Swan. It's Sunday. Your only free day of the week. You are not gonna let him ruin it for you."

She walked slowly to the bathroom and stepped into the shower, lathering her body three times until she was sure not one particle of his scent was left on her body. She couldn't do much about the soreness between her legs, a constant reminder of the last night. But she decided she would just make herself a quick breakfast and then lay down on the couch with the newest book of her favorite author, and just let herself be swept away by his writing.

She actually felt giddy when she curled up on the couch, a pot of tea on the table and the book in her hands. It had already been out for three months, but she'd made herself wait to rise the anticipation.

Her mouth tilted up into a soft smile as her fingers brushed over the name of the author on the cover. Peter Hook. The name always made her smile, made her wonder what kind of person the author might be to choose this name.

Her favorite book series was written by an author who wanted to stay anonymous, and she respected that. But every time she started a new book she imagined how he looked like. Was he the bookish type? With rumbled hair and glasses? A wild beard covering his face? Or was he the opposite? Polished and smooth? Or was it a she?

She actually liked not knowing who the author really was. She loved his writing. Or hers. She didn't need to know what he or she looked like. Didn't want to read about him or her in the tabloids. She loved that this anonymity added to the flair of the books. She wouldn't want it any other way.

She opened the book and lifted it to her nose, inhaling the typical clean scent of a new book. Leaning back, she flipped to the first page and started reading, knowing that reading about Jared's adventures would make her forget about reality for at least a few hours. The question about what she would do against the unwanted attraction she felt for the demon spawn from next door could wait a little longer.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

He hadn't expected that. That was definitely a first. Getting thrown out by a woman.

Normally he didn't take a woman home with him. One-night stands were the norm, and he could always sneak out of their apartments afterwards. He shoved the memories of the one woman who had been the exception back into a dark corner of his brain, concentrating on Emma again.

What wasn't a good idea either. Because there had only been one woman before her who had interested him so much that he wanted to spend more time with her, and it had ended badly. Really, really bad.

He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes as he leaned back against the door he'd just shut behind him. He could still taste Emma on his lips, and it was driving him insane. She was one of the most responsive women he'd ever had the pleasure to take to bed, and his body was still humming with past pleasure.

He rubbed his hand over his scruff, cursing loudly as her scent hit his nostrils. His fingers still smelled of her arousal, and he needed to take a cold shower before his body took over his common sense, and he would storm back to her door, and knock it down to bury himself inside of her again.

She clearly didn't want him near her. She'd made that clear.

But he still wanted her. He couldn't help it. Something about her made his body vibrate with need. Especially now. After he had a taste of her. A delicious taste.

He groaned and hit his head repeatedly against the door, trying to calm his body down. It didn't really help. So he shed his clothes on the way to the shower, and let ice-cold water hit his skin until his cock stopped demanding from him to go back and sheath himself in her scorching heat.

But when he rubbed his hair dry his thoughts came back to the last night, and he realized that there was only one way to keep his mind away from Emma. He needed to write.

Strolling back into the living room, he fired up his laptop and opened a new file. His eyes went to the pile of his books lined up on the shelf. All of them have been on the New York's Bestseller List at some point. He was proud of his work, and most of the times he enjoyed the anonymity he had to choose. But there was also those times when he wished he could reveal to the world who Peter Hook really was. But his affair with Milah had made that impossible, and he refused to dwell on things he couldn't change. He should be glad he was able to make a living with his writing. Everything else shouldn't matter.

-/-

He didn't look up from his laptop until he heard a key turn in his lock, and when he looked at the clock he realized that it was late afternoon already, though he couldn't say if it was even the same day. Sometimes he forgot completely about the real world when he started writing, hours passing by without him even realizing it, his body working like a zombie. Going to the bathroom, walks to the kitchen to stay hydrated, and more often than not his brother had to yank him out of it so that he wouldn't starve to death.

Like right now. His brother shouting from the kitchen, telling him he should get his ass in there to eat something.

His eyes were bleary, his muscles protesting against any movement since he'd spent hours bent over his laptop. Stumbling into the kitchen, he grunted a greeting towards his brother, slumping down on a stool and reaching for the plate his brother shoved into his direction.

Liam let him eat in peace, waiting for him to finish his meal before he attempted to have a conversation with him.

"So ... you actually kissed Emma?"

Killian leaned back, throwing his brother an exasperated glance. "Yep, I did. Until you've interrupted us."

"I thought she should know who she is kissing."

"Thanks a lot for that, by the way," Killian hissed, biting his cheek to keep the smug smile in check. After all he did get lucky last night. Even after Liam's rude interruption.

He still struggled to not give his brother any indication about what happened last night as Liam suddenly pulled a one-hundred-eighty on him, and punched him square in the chest with his next comment.

"One day you have to open your heart again, Killian. You can't live like that forever."

"Watch me," Killian said gruffly, wondering why his brother had to choose this day to bring this discussion up again.

"I know Milah broke your heart, but not every woman is a bitch."

"I don't want a relationship, Liam. You know that," Killian told him, letting out a soft sigh. Liam never stopped pestering him, no matter how annoyed Killian was getting about his continuous prodding. "You know damn well that there is probably not one woman out there who could live with the fact that I am out of it for days. And I just work like this. It's how I write. I can't change that."

"I know, Killian," Liam replied. "But there have to be women out there who would understand it. You just have to find one."

"And what then?" Killian huffed. "I should be grateful that she puts up with it, and just fall in love?"

"I'm just saying you shouldn't give up hope that there is a woman out there who is perfect for you."

"We've been over this, Liam. I just don't think it's worth the risk."

"One day a woman will come along who will capture your heart again. A woman who will not hurt it like Milah did."

"I'm not holding my breath, big brother," Killian murmured, shaking his head slowly. "Not everyone has the luck to find the person who is perfect for them."

-/-

Of course she couldn't always avoid him, but three weeks later she had still managed to only see him in passing, a short nod and that was all. Until he started torturing her again.

Spending all the warm water, forcing her to jump through the ice-cold water of her shower, her curses echoing from the walls as she washed herself as fast as possible.

Keeping her awake by playing guitar in the middle of the night, making it even worse when she heard his voice through the walls, his singing voice making her ache for him, and she definitely didn't need that.

He even planted his trash bags in front of her door, and she almost broke her ankle when she stumbled over them.

His car was blocking hers every single day, her newspaper was snatched away by him. When she ordered food he always managed to catch the delivery guy before he rang her bell. She would probably starve to death if he would keep that up. She was definitely not a good housewife. Her fridge was almost always empty, because she forgot to buy groceries, and she depended on getting her carbs from Thai food and pizza.

But she didn't want to confront him about any of these things. She didn't want to talk to him at all. She wasn't sure if she was ready to face him again.

He was driving her insane. Slowly but surely.

She needed to get out of her apartment. At least for a while - until she had a grip on herself again. She was due for a vacation anyway, and Ruby had told her over and over again that she had this friend who had a gorgeous cabin in a remote location, where you could just hang around and do nothing, without being disturbed by one living soul.

Maybe that was exactly what she needed right now. Getting away from everything, and clear her head.

-/-

"You need to go to the cabin again, little brother," Liam told him when he visited him, finding him in a desolate state. "You are in the zone right now. You know you are endangering everyone around you when you are in it."

"Maybe you are right," Killian replied, looking at the mess his apartment was in.

"Elsa will stock up the fridge, and bring everything in order. You should be good to go up there in a few days."

"Okay," Killian said, threading his fingers through his hair. It was standing up in all directions, and he realized he was in desperate need of a shower. "I think you are right. It's time for the cabin again."


	7. Chapter 7

**You apparently all expect that they will end up in the same cabin. **

**Hmmm ... not quite correct. :-)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

The fridge was well stocked, as usual. Elsa always made sure that he wouldn't starve to death when he went up here. Not that he would eat much. He never did.

Killian poured the coffee in a cup and went outside on the patio, slumping down on the rocking chair and planting his feet against the balustrade. The wind was biting in his skin, but this was his ritual, no matter what weather it was. Whenever he came up to the cabin the first thing he did was make himself coffee, and then go out on the patio.

Closing his eyes, he tilted his head and just listened. He needed to get up here more often; the silence surrounding him was soothing for the soul. The only thing you could hear was the nature. The rushing of the small waterfall nearby, the wind in the leaves of the trees, the chirping of the birds, and if you got lucky you could actually watch some wildlife crossing the field behind the cabin come nightfall.

He remembered the first time he'd come here after Milah broke his heart; how the silence had helped him to pick up the pieces of his heart, and put them back together. But it was Liam and Elsa who actually saved him; their constant support helping him over the first dreadful months. Especially since they'd both encouraged him to actually write the novel he always wanted to write. Liam had told him he should give it a try, that he didn't need to worry about money.

One year. Liam had convinced him to give himself one year to write the novel, and find a publisher. And he had succeeded.

But only because he chose to use a pen name, made sure his agent and the publisher knew about the importance of staying anonymous. Forever. So that _they_ never found out, and ruined everything for him.

Sometimes he wished he'd never met Milah, that he hadn't gone to this particular party. It would have made his life a lot easier. But maybe if he hadn't met her, he would have never started writing. Maybe he should be grateful after all.

She'd kicked him to the curb after she was through with him. He thought she loved him as much as he loved her, but of course thinking that had been completely ridiculous. She was ten years older, accustomed to having money to spend as much as she wanted to, and back then he had been nothing else than an accountant, barely making the money to survive on his own.

If Milah ever found out about who Peter Hook really was, he would be in trouble. He wouldn't put it past her to use some well placed blackmail. After all her husband was _the_ Robert Gold, the owner of the famous publisher house, and it was well in his powers to force Killian's writing career to take a nose dive if Milah ever told him that Killian had had an affair with her. He was sure she would make it sound as if he'd been the one seducing her, and not the other way around.

No, it was better for all parties involved if he stayed hidden, and enjoyed being famous in private. And stayed the hell away from women who had the potential to break through the walls he'd built around his heart.

Like his little neighbor.

He still didn't know how it had happened, or when. She had been fun to tease, her body calling to him on a primal level. But one night with her had changed everything. Another reason why going up here had been a very good idea. He had to get away from her, at least for a little while.

Because he wanted to get to know her, wanted to reach behind the layers she was hiding behind, wanted to see the woman she was deep inside. Being an author he knew that every person had them; the walls they hid their real personality behind, deciding how much of the real person they were showing to the world.

There were only two people who really knew him. His brother and his sister-in-law.

He'd been content with his life. He didn't need to worry about money anymore, had enough casual friends for having some fun, and if the need for some female companionship grew too strong, he could always find it in the blink of an eye.

No strings, no heartbreaks.

It was better that way. He would stay up here to finish the first draft of his next novel, and hopefully burying himself in his work would erase the strange feelings he harbored for his new neighbor, so that when he went back she would be nothing more than his neighbor who he enjoyed to tease from time to time.

-/-

Emma was still wondering if coming up here had been a good idea when she stepped out of her car and looked around, taking in her surroundings.

Remote location indeed. She was in the middle of nowhere.

Her eyes fell on a swirl of smoke over the trees at the other side of the field, and she squinted her eyes, making out a chimney and a car parked under the trees. Apparently not that remote. But she was sure whoever lived in that cabin wasn't inclined to have any company.

She reached for her bag and slammed the car door shut behind her, walking briskly towards the cabin. It was freezing cold, and she wanted to take a hot bath and slip into bed. She was eager to get back to her book.

But after she had put the few things she'd taken with her into the dresser, the silence started to press down on her, and she wandered into the kitchen, deciding that a glass of wine might help with the sudden anxiety.

Standing at the window, she closed her hand around the glass, staring out over the lake. She realized that this was the first vacation she'd gone on alone since the whole Neal fiasco.

Her work as a sports agent was demanding most of the times, and kept her thoughts well occupied. She loved her job, and even Neal couldn't change that.

She'd met him through Cole, the linebacker of the Dolphins. Neal had been charming, and she'd been still new at the job, still dazzled by all those famous athletes she met in her line of work.

Looking back at it, he had totally taken advantage of that fact. Loved her adoration. Loved that she'd put him on a pedestal. She had fallen head over heels in love with him, but he'd just used her and threw her away like a used Kleenex when he found a better hunting ground.

He had broken her heart, and without the support of her friends she might have broken down completely. But they stood by her side, supporting her in any way possible, and thanks to them she still had her job. A job she really enjoyed, despite her bad experiences with Neal.

Now she just looked at all her clients with kind of a sisterly affection, shaking her head most of the times about their silly antics, and her huge egos.

As long as she didn't let anyone near her heart she was fine.

So she had to stay the hell away from her neighbor. She knew that type too damn well, and she would not repeat the same mistakes. Ever again.

He was devastatingly handsome, and amazing in bed. But she didn't want to get to know him better, afraid that she might fall for him. Because she wasn't sure if she could keep her heart safe if he turned his charm on.

She didn't know what happened that night, but something happened. Somehow he'd stirred something deep inside of her, and she didn't want him to get close to her in any way.

Hence her escape to this cabin, in hopes that when she went back he would just be her annoying neighbor again, and nothing more.

-/-

She had hardly noticed the snow starting to fall in fat flakes from the sky, completely immersed in her book. She'd been too tired the day before to read anything, but after waking up more rested than she'd been in months, she'd made herself a big breakfast before curling up onto the couch to read.

Only when she had to squint her eyes to read the text she finally realized the snow storm outside. The room was as dark as if it was early evening, and not the middle of the day, but she decided to just ignore it for the time being, and turned back to the book in her lap.

When it was time to go to bed she glanced out of the window again. The storm had calmed down considerably, but the flakes were still falling down from the sky. Her car was already half buried in the snow, and she just hoped that she wouldn't get snowed in completely. There wasn't much she could do either way, and she crawled into bed to read a few more pages before she settled down to sleep.

She woke up in the middle of the night because she was shivering, wondering why it was so ice cold in the room. When she fumbled for the switch of the bedside lamp nothing happened, and she cursed under her breath as she slipped out of bed to stumble into the living room.

Goosebumps ran over her skin as she walked from room to room, trying light switches and fumbling with the radiators, but still nothing.

"Fucking great," she hissed as she realized that the power must have gone out over night, and after a look out of the window she knew why.

Everything was buried under snow. She couldn't even see her car anymore, and she leaned her head against the cold window, closing her eyes for a second.

What was she supposed to do now?

There was no cell reception out here, the land line didn't work anymore, she couldn't drive into town, and the cabin would turn into a freezer in a few hours.

Before panic could overwhelm her she remembered the smoke she'd seen when she arrived yesterday. She wasn't completely alone out here. Help was only a few minutes away. She just had to get to the other cabin.

She tried to keep herself warm until the sun finally started to rise - she hadn't been that delusional to think that she could find her way to the cabin in complete darkness - and she could leave the house.

She'd seen some snowshoes the day before, and it took her a while until she managed to put them on. Zipping up her coat, she slipped her hands into the gloves and pulled her beanie further down over her forehead, before she opened the door and went out into the snow.

It was exhausting to walk with the snowshoes, and more than once she contemplated if she should just give up and turn around. But she knew staying at her own cabin wasn't an option. She would freeze to death eventually. So she trudged forward, her legs becoming unbearably heavy, and her muscles starting to tremble the closer she got to the other cabin.

But finally she reached it, pulling the snowshoes off her feet, and stepping onto the patio. She lifted her hand to knock but hesitated. What if her neighbor was an axe murderer? Or a crazed serial killer?

"You are watching too many horror movies, Swan," she whispered to herself as she hunched her shoulders, and buried her face deeper into her jacket, knocking at the doorframe before she could change her mind.

She stomped her feet on the doormat, waiting for someone to open the door already, before she would lose all her courage, and flee back to her cabin. But when the door finally opened she wished she'd never come over here in the first place, her mouth dropping to the floor as she stared at the person standing in front of her.

"You've got to be kidding me."


End file.
